Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-10-01
CHAPTER XIX.
A STRANGE WEEPING.

STRANGE WEDDING.
One person, however, did not succeed In
getting out in time before the gates were
shut, and that was the high priest Agon, who,
as we had every reason to believe, was Sorais'
great ally and the heart and soul of her party.
This cunning and ferocious old man had not
forgiven US for those hippopotami, or rather
that was what he said. What he meant was
that he never would brook the introduction of
our wider ways OF thought and foreign learn
ing and influence while there was possibility
of stamping us out Also he knew that We
possessed different system Of religion, and
no doubt was in daily terror Of our attempt
ing to introduce It into Zu-vendis. One day
he asked me IL we had any religion In our
country, and told him that SO far as could
remember we had ninety-flve different ones.
You might have knocked him down with
feather; and really it is difficult not to pity
high priest of a well established cult who is
haunted by the possible approach Of one or
all Of ninety five new religions.
When we knew that Agon was caught,
Nyleptha, Sir Henry and discussed what
was to be done with him. was for closely
incarcerating him, but Nyleptha shook her
head, saying that 1t would produce disas-
trous effect throughout the country. "Ahl"
she added with stamp Of her foot, 'if win,
and am once really queen, will break the
power of those priests, with their rights and
revels and dark secret ways" only wished
that old Agon could have heard her, it would
have frightened him.
"Well," said Henry, "if we are not to inn
prison him suppose that we may as well let
him go. He's no use here"
NuIa >iyaI nj i'm In, N .rrtn
and said in dry little voice, "Thinkest thou
so, my lordf
"Eh" said Curtis. aNo, don't see what
is the use of keeping him"
She said nothing, but kept looking at him
In way that was as shy as it was sweet.
Then at last he understood.
aForgive me, Nyleptha," he said, rather
TREMENDOUSLY, "dost thou mean that thou wilt
marry me, even nowp
"Nay, know not; let my lord say" was
her rapid answer; "but il my lord wills, the
priest is there and the altar is there"-point-
ing to the entrance TO private chapel-"and
am / not ready to do the will Of my lordi
Listen, oh my lord; in eight days or less thou
must leave me and 90 down to war, for thou
shalt lead my armies-and in war, men some-
times fall, and If so, would for a little space
have had thee all my own, il only for MEM
ory's sake;" and the tears overlooked her
lovely eyes and rolled down her face like
heavy drops Of dew down the red heart of a
rose.
"Mayhap, too,s she went on, II shall lose
my crown. and with my crown my life and
thine also. Sorais is very strong and very
bitter, and IL she prevails she will not spare.
Who can read the futurea Happiness is the
worlds white bird, that alights seldom, and
flies fast and far till one day he is lost In the
clouds. Therefore should we hold him fast IL
by any chance he rests for little space upon
our hand 1t is not wise 70 neglect the
present for the future, for who knows what
the future will be, Incubu9 Let lis pluck our
flowers while the dew is ON them, for when
the sun Is up they wither, and on the morrow
will others bloom that we shall never seen
And she lifted her sweet face to him and
smiled into his eyes, and once more | felt
horrible pang of jealousy, and turned and
went away. They never took much notice Of
whether was there or not, thinking, | sup
pose, that was an old fool, and that it did
not matter one way or the other, and really
believe they We're right.
So went back to our quarters, and rumi
mated over things in general, and watched old
Umslopogaas whetting his ak outside the
window, as vulture whets his beak beside
dying OK.
And in about an hours time Sir Henry
came tearing over, looking very radiant and
wildly excited, and found Good and myself
and even Umslopogaas, and asked us II we
should like to assist at a real wedding. OF
course we said yes, and off we went to the
chapel, where we founl Agon looking as
sulky as any high priest possibly could and
no wonder. 1t appeared that he and Nylep
tina had had slight difference of opinion
about the coming ceremony. He had fatty
refused TO celebrate it, or TO allow any of his
priests to do so, whereupon Nyleptha became
very angry and told him that she, as queen,
was head Of the church, and meant to be I
obeyed. Indeed, she played the part of
Zu-Vendi Henry VIII TO perfection, and in
sisted that If she wanted 10 be married she
would be married, and he should marry her.
He still refused to go through the cere-
mony, so she clinched her argument thus:
swell, cannot execute high priest, be-
cause there is an absurd prejudice against it,
and cannot imprison him, because all his |
subordinates would raise a crying that would |
bring the stars down ON Zu-Vendis and crush |
it, but can leave him to contemplate the !
altar Of the Sun without anything to eat, be- !